Posts filed under ‘31 Days of Writing’

Food is at the center of American activities. Food is a necessity and a luxury. It is a joy and it bonds people. Denise, a woman who oversaw the kitchen at our church felt that when food was served at an event, people felt welcomed and at ease.

There are many ways we can share food as an act of kindness. Be sure to add your ideas to this list.

Invite someone over for dinner.

Take an extra portion of your sack lunch contents to give to a co-worker.

Make cookies for a neighbor or the school crossing guard.

Make an acceptable goodie for someone who has food allergies. Getting a treat like this is rare and makes the recipient feel noticed.

Take a meal to someone who needs help (a new mom, someone just home from the hospital, someone who is grieving). I think a just-because meal would be gratefully accepted, too.

Buy gift cards to fast food restaurants to give to a teenager or homeless person.

NM is a free community meal served at my church (near Sacramento, CA) the last Friday of every month. If you are hungry, come and eat; if you’re not, come and serve. We have room for people to help in the following positions: set-up, clean-up, serve food, help our guests take food to the table, and visit with the guests while you both eat. We also take food and clothing.

“There are people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

When someone is hungry and doesn’t have easy access to food because of homelessness, pain, depression, or recuperation, that is a vulnerable state to be in.

Kindness is noticing that food is a necessity and brings comfort and acceptance. Kindness is feeding people.

Your Turn . . . When was the last time you performed this act of kindness? . . . When was the last time someone gave you food? . . . How did either/both situations make you feel.? . . . Who can you gift food to this week?

This post is part of #Write31Days where bloggers write every day in October on one topic. I am writing about Acts of Kindness, random and otherwise. It will be interesting to note how I am different and/or how my community is different.

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Road rage is on the rise. People are stressed, tired, and have too much to do to arrive places on time. Or at least that’s what we tell ourselves. As a result we have driving expectations that are often not met.

We want . . . the traffic to be lighter … all the lights to be green . . . and for people to get OUT of our way right NOW.

I want my own personal lane. Or at least for native CA drivers to have a dedicated lane for us. Shouldn’t there be some perk for living in California?

This is selfish thinking. This is entitled thinking. This is dangerous thinking which can lead to us arriving at our destination frustrated at the last and full of road rage at the most.

Calm down. Notice the needs of others. We all have some place to go. Share nicely. These words need to replace our rage-enduing ones.

Let’s change our mindset that WE are the most important drivers on the road. Kindness is being a friendly driver.

Let people merge even when they do so incorrectly.

Leave an appropriate space between you and the car in front.

Don’t speed trying to push the car in front to go faster.

Use your blinkers.

Allow more time to get to your destinations.

Give grace when people drive like an idiot.

Remember that sometimes we are the idiot and want their grace. So be a kind driver.

Your Turn . . . What is one way you can be a kind driver? . . . What do you most appreciate from others when you drive like an (accidental) idiot?

Please leave me an idea or two that I can add to my acts of kindness list. The idea can be intentional or random.

This post is part of #Write31Days where bloggers write every day in October on one topic. I am writing about Acts of Kindness, random and otherwise. It will be interesting to note how I am different and/or how my community is different.

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“But I don’t like going to funerals. I feel awkward, don’t know what to say, and I didn’t even know Julie’s dad,” I said to an elderly mentor.

“Is Julie your friend? Is she hurting?”

I answered both questions with a “Yes.”

“Often times,” my mentor said, “we go to a funeral to support our grieving friend. It has nothing to do with us. It makes a difference that we attend.”

I found out at the funerals of my parents, that it did make a difference. Some people who attended didn’t even know my parents. I felt supported, loved, and understood because these friends were with me during a HARD time.

Besides going to the funeral, send a card. And find the most meaningful card you can. My grandpa Carol, a very unsentimental dude, told me about a card he received after his wife, Ruby, died. “It was the prettiest card and the words were so comforting. I put it on the TV for months.” This card was a little gesture, a kind gesture, that meant so much.

Kindness notices the needs of others. It meets those needs. Kindness is going to the funeral. It is sending a card.

Your Turn . . . Do you attend funerals or do you skip them whenever you can? . . . Have you ever thought about how significant a card can be? . . . What is something else we can do to support a grieving friend?

Please leave me an idea or two that I can add to my acts of kindness list. The idea can be intentional or random.

This post is part of #Write31Days where bloggers write every day in October on one topic. I am writing about Acts of Kindness, random and otherwise. It will be interesting to note how I am different and/or how my community is different

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This post is part of #Write31Days where bloggers write every day in October on one topic. I am writing about Acts of Kindness, random and otherwise. It will be interesting to note how I am different and/or how my community is different.

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I arrived at the store ready to do a BIG shop. With a list in hand and a ticking clock, I went towards the cart coral inside. There wasn’t a single cart. Not one! I’ve never seen it empty before. I fumed a little as I went back out and grabbed one of the many carts that were parked by cars near the entrance.

Shopping done, on my way out of the store, I noticed that the in-store cart corral was still empty. I tucked my groceries into the trunk, and looked at my cell phone clock. I had finished early! 13 minutes early.

I put 13 minutes on my timer. Then I whizzed around gathering carts. I put the gathered carts into the outside cart corrals. Isn’t it funny that I didn’t want to get “caught” by a store employee. A few people thanked me. And one man said, “Why are you doing THEIR job?”

“So you can have a cart now and not have to come back outside,” I replied.

The older gentleman grunted as he took a cart from the cart cage. I whispered, “You’re welcome.”

Just as I was getting into my vehicle to drive away, a store employee was taking carts into the store. I don’t know whether I was spotted or not, but I did a spontaneous,13 minute, kind deed for the day. And it felt good.

Your Turn . . . Have you ever gathered a bunch of carts to return them? Did you feel conspicuous like I did? . . . Did you ever think of returning your shopping cart as an act of kindness? . . . What spontaneous act of kindness can you do today?

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This post is part of #Write31Days where bloggers write every day in October on one topic. I am writing about Acts of Kindness, random and otherwise. It will be interesting to note how I am different and/or how my community is different

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Prayer impacts people and situations.

We can lift them up when they doubt God’s involvement and power.

We can pray that peace will replace worry.

We can ask God to heal physical, emotional and spiritual wounds.

We can ask God to give guidance for a situation. And then to give them the power and tenacity to follow through.

We can pray that people will come to know and accept God’s love (as shown through salvation).

Because our God is unlimited, we can pray for any and every need. Prayer doesn’t work because of what we pray, but because of WHO we pray to: the Creator of heaven and earth, including each person.

Max Lucado says it this way, “Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the One who hears it and not in the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference.”

Prayer is the best gift we can offer our family, friends, and even the world. Prayer is the best thing we can offer our enemies. Pray first, act second. Corrie ten Boom asks, “Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?”

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This post is part of #Write31Days where bloggers write every day in October on one topic. I am writing about Acts of Kindness, random and otherwise. It will be interesting to note how I am different and/or how my community is different.

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One of the best joys of being the parent of an adult child is when they have children. Being a grandmother is an unexpected pleasure. My two oldest grand children (5 and 2) keep me up to date on their lives by face timing me several times a week. And I am always surprised when I learn from them, even from one as young as five.

Recently, I spent several nights with my grand children. It was a full weekend of playing talking, walking, cuddling, photographing each other, and crafting. As I left to leave, Sofia said, “Grandma, let’s talk to each other tomorrow.”

“OK,” I replied. “I want to make that happen.”

And Grandma, don’t do anything else,” She added.

“What do you mean, Sofia?”

“Don’t do your dishes or anything during the time we are talking,” Sofia clarified.

I thought it was okay to do my dishes or ironing when we were talking. But I understood then, that Sofia wanted me to look at her. That is why she always calls me on Face Time and not on the regular phone. She wants eye-to-eye contact.

And really, don’t we all. We want to know that someone is paying attention when we talk.

Have you had a conversation where there wasn’t much paying attention going on? Perhaps the TV was on or cell phones were in use. Or like me, you were busy doing chores.

While you might have been having a conversation with someone, did you feel neglected because the other person wasn’t paying attention to you? Or maybe you were the one doing the neglecting.

Conversation requires both people being involved in listening and speaking. And a meaningful way to show that we are focused on them is by looking at the other person, giving them our undivided attention.

Kindness is paying attention. It is looking at someone when they talk. It is not doing anything else.

Your Turn . . . How good of a listener are you? . . . Do you prefer people look you in the eyes when you are having a conversation?

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This post is part of #Write31Days where bloggers write every day in October on one topic. I am writing about Acts of Kindness, random and otherwise. It will be interesting to note how I am different and/or how my community is different

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Do you ever go to the library? Is it a valuable resource for you?

I love the library. I go for the free books. Since I have been decluttering, having these free resources has been ideal. And I like participating in the Summer Reading program as it helps me stay committed to reading during those three outside-busy months.

I hardly ever go TO the library now. Whenever I can, I borrow the items digitally. I like being able to (usually) start reading right away. And I like the ease of returning the books. Since they are returned automatically, I don’t get fines for late books anymore.

When I was a younger (and poorer) woman, the library was a refuge from life. It was quiet, safe, and I could read current magazines for free. I do miss reading current magazines. So because I love and value the library, I wanted to do an act of kindness IN the library.

I imagined the person fining the money buying a specialty coffee. So I left a $5 bill inside one of my fave 2017 reads. This was a fun RAK.

I don’t prefer RANDOM acts of service or kindness. I like to purposefully bless folks I know. So many of them could use this touch of love. Love is kindness with work boots on.

However, this act of kindness is truly random. I got the idea from one of the many RAK (Random Acts of Service) lists on the internet.

“Leave some money in a library book.“

So I made a trip to my local library, which just opened after a month-long remodel. It was harder than I thought to put the bill into a book.

I had to find a book that was tall and thick enough. When I put it into a short, thin book, the page opened right to the money when I picked up the book. I wanted the money to be a surprise for when someone got far into the book.

I wanted to pick the RIGHT book. I wanted the book to be one that I enjoyed. At that moment my mind went blank. So I went to the list of books I read last year. I looked for 8-9 books before I found a physical copy of a favourite book. And I had to test it was tall and thick enough.

I wish I could’ve seen the person’s face when they discovered the money.

Your Turn . . . Do you do RAK’s? . . . Have you ever found money in a book? What were your thoughts.feelings? . . . How likely are you to try this act of kindness? If you do this, be sure to let us know.